Having apparently dropped out of Dario Argento’s giallo Giallobecause he was disgusted that the director cast his daughter in the film and there after announced his retirement, actor and socialite Vincent Gallo is now set to star as the title character in Francis Ford Coppola‘s Tetro. Maybe cockiness gets you somewhere in life after all. Also set to star in the film are Oscar winner Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men) as a literary critic and Maribel Verdu (Pan’s Labyrinth) as Gallo/Tetro’s love interest. Intriguing cast to say the least.

The film is reportedly a familial epic set in Buenos Aires, Argentina and will follow actor Alden Ehrenreich, who’s done TV work on CSI, as a younger brother searching for his older brother, Tetro. The brothers belong to a long family history filled with back-stabbing and egos runs amok. At one time, Gallo’s role was rumored to be played by actor Matt Dillon, who worked with Coppola on 1983’s rather cool gang movie Rumble Fish. This is quite an interesting replacement, one that will definitely change the feel of the movie, such is Gallo’s crazy-eyed intensity.

Coppola’s film is set for release in 2009, and it’s another relatively low budget affair, set at $15 million, after his last outing, Youth Without Youth, which received rather savage reviews and toxic word of mouth. I didn’t see it, but it’s on the list. And maybe it’s just me, but there seems to be a little post-release upswing buzz for the film now.

Okay, can’t resist. Here’s the quote Gallo gave announcing that he wanted to leave Argento’s film (it’s worth noting that he was engaged to Asia Argento in 1998)…

“After they cast Asia Argento, I’ve been trying to get out of it. I’d rather not be in a movie with her. I’m not a fan. I was a fan of her father’s. I’m retiring.”

Discuss: Vincent Gallo working with Francis Ford Coppola. Do you care? And is the end near?